Timothy Jay White

YARMOUTH Timothy Jay White, 52, of Yarmouth and Carrabassett Valley died peacefully at home on Monday, December 13th after a courageous battle with ALS and pancreatic cancer.

Born in Portland, Tim was the son of Donald and Barbara White. He graduated from Westbrook High School, Dean College, and the University of Southern Maine. He was a proud Eagle Scout from Troop 70 Prides Corner, Westbrook.

After the sudden death of his father Donald in 1980, Tim left college for a short period of time to run the family business, White Brothers, with his brother Michael. After Donald’s death the business truly became “White Brothers” as they worked together to build the business into a well known, highly respected general contractor specializing in earthwork, roads and utilities. He served in almost every capacity of the business, and at his death had been general superintendent and vice president for many years. He loved and cared for the many men and women who worked for him over the years, and was recently eulogized as a “kind and gentle man”. He was well known for his quick wit and sense of humor, often playing practical jokes on employees throughout the day.

He married the former Dorothy Patla in 1989, and the two began raising their family of three daughters in the home they built on Forest Lake in Cumberland. They moved to Yarmouth in 1999, and Tim always said that it was one of the best decisions they ever made. He enjoyed working on their historic home on Greely Road and took great pride in maintaining its historic value. He also valued the many friends he made in the Yarmouth community.

In 2007, Tim was awarded the Real Heroes Lifesaving Award from the American Red Cross of Southern Maine for helping to save the life of a fellow basketball player after he collapsed on the court during a men’s league game. As a natural jokester, he got great mileage out of calling himself “Yarmouth’s Hero”, and used that title in his many humorous speeches within the community.

Prior to the ALS diagnosis, Tim enjoyed skiing at Sugarloaf Mountain with his loved ones and playing basketball in the Town of Yarmouth’s men’s league. Growing up, Tim developed a deep love of fishing while spending summers at the family camp on Little Sebago Lake. One of his greatest enjoyments as an adult was spending time at his lakeside cabin on Foss Pond, fishing it’s waters, always with his favorite Brittany, Hallie, along side him in the boat.

Tim coached youth basketball when his daughters were young, and in recent years was an active member of the Yarmouth Basketball Boosters. As president of the boosters, he was instrumental in the construction of the outdoor basketball courts at Yarmouth High School.

Tim served on the Board of Directors of the Westbrook Hospital, as well as on the Family Council of the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation. Through his personal and business life, his philanthropy reached many local non-profits, including Riding to the Top Therapeutic Riding Center in Gray and the Morrison Center in Scarborough, as well as the Yarmouth youth basketball programs. He had a soft heart and easy, generous manner.

Tim was an active, warm, loving, and often very funny and entertaining person. Underneath the jokes and humor was a strong, supportive husband and father who always put his family first. He will be affectionately remembered as “Papa White” to many teenagers in Yarmouth.

He was predeceased by his father, Donald in 1980, and his oldest daughter, Annie Veronica, in 2005. Besides his wife Dorothy, he will be greatly missed by his daughters Elizabeth “Beth” White and Rachel White, both of Yarmouth; his mother, Barbara White of Portland, his brother Michael and wife Nikki of Westbrook, many nieces and nephews.

A time of visitation will be held Friday December 17, 2010 from 4 to 8 pm at Jones, Rich & Hutchins Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St. Portland. A celebration of Tim’s Life will be held Saturday December 18, 2010 at 12 noon at The First Parish Congregational Church, Main St, Yarmouth with the Rev’s Kent Allen and Robert White, cousin of Tim officiating. Interment will follow in the family lot at Moss Side Cemetery, Cumberland.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Tim’s memory to ALS Northern New England Chapter, C/O The

Concord Center, 10 Ferry St. Suite 438, Box 314, Concord, NH. 03301, or to Yarmouth Basketball Booster’s C/O Andrew Smith 23 Storer St, Yarmouth, Me. 04096. Please visit www.jonesrichandhutchins.com for additional information and to sign Tim’s guestbook.